Democrat Chris Mattei Declares Candidacy For Attorney General

Democrat Chris Mattei made it official Monday morning, announcing his candidacy for attorney general in front of the state Supreme Court.

The announcement by Mattei, a former federal prosecutor who formed an exploratory committee for statewide office earlier this year with an eye toward next year’s gubernatorial election, came a week after Attorney General George Jepsen said he would not seek a third term.

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“With the election of Donald Trump, we face a new challenge and in the face of that challenge, I asked myself how I could be of best use to the people of Connecticut," Mattei said in a news release. "I am running for Attorney General to help protect our rights, our values and our future here in Connecticut."

The change in plans was widely expected, particularly after Mattei dropped out of a forum for Democratic gubernatorial candidates held Saturday in New Haven.

Mattei shifts from a packed gubernatorial field to the significantly less crowded race to succeed Jepsen. He’ll also have to raise less money to qualify for a taxpayer-funded matching grant under the state’s Citizens Election Program.

A national group, the Republican Attorneys General Association, responded to Mattei’s announcement by saying the state “does not need an activist attorney general.”

“It’s time for a fresh start in Connecticut. Job creators will drive Connecticut’s economic recovery, not repeating the failed policies of the past,” the group’s executive director, Scott Will, said in a written statement. “The next attorney general can be a part of the solution, by creating a climate of regulatory certainty."

State Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford and co-chair of the legislature’s judiciary committee, has also filed paperwork to run for attorney general.

On the Republican side, John Shaban, a former state representative from Redding who ran for Congress last year against Jim Himes, has formed a committee to run for the office.